The count period always begins the Saturday just before Martin Luther King Day, which is the third Monday in January, and ends the Sunday of the following weekend. Whenever possible the ideal "target date” is the first Sunday of the count period. This target date is especially pertinent in Western New York, where we routinely host large concentrations of some species on the Niagara River. Daily changes in weather and wind direction can shift rafts of thousands of waterfowl from one section of the river to the other, easily resulting in double counting.
Sightings of color-marked ducks, geese or swans should be noted and reported, as well as any locations visited where people regularly feed wild waterfowl. Forms for reports are attached at the bottom of this page. These can be e-mailed or sent to the Region 1 compiler, Jim Landau at the following address:
9195 State Rd.
Colden, NY 14033
(716) 941-3869
landaujr@gmail.com
Final results of the waterfowl count in Western New York are published in The Prothonotary. Final state-wide results of the waterfowl count will be published in “The
Kingbird” and will also posted on the NYSOA website at: http://www.nybirds.org/ProjWaterfowl.htm.
2004, has been dropping off slightly over the past few years. Erratic but gradual increases are noted for Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser,Pied-billed Grebe. Double-crested Cormorants continue to exhibit their dramatic rise which began in 1991.
The 2001 count holds the record of 71,801 individuals observed.
The following sections are included in this count: A. Lake Ontario (Point Breeze to Olcott) | BOS Participation in New York’s Annual Mid-winter Bald Eagle SurveyAlthough the January Waterfowl Count in New York State no longer overlaps with the National Mid-winter Bald Eagle Survey, we were asked by the DEC to report any eagle sightings noted during the waterfowl count. The DEC, in turn, contributes the combined New York State census to the national Mid-winter Bald Eagle Survey, which is now coordinated nationally by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Final results of the Bald Eagle survey in Western New York are published in The Prothonotary with the waterfowl count summary. You can follow the DEC’s winter eagle research on the Internet at http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/9381.html.For each Bald Eagle sighting, the DEC requests the following information: Date, time, location, number of individuals, observer name & contact info.  |